


Honorable

by Dark Stars (ivorybyrd)



Series: Escaflowne Prompts [2]
Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Character Despair, Death, Dragonslayers Death, Final Thoughts, M/M, episode 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 08:12:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8571025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorybyrd/pseuds/Dark%20Stars
Summary: No one has their heart in this battle, because they know they are no longer immortal or elite as they are no longer whole.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt fic! This was requested by Gurakruor! The quote being:  “I guess dying with you isn’t the worse way to go.” for Dilandau and Gatti!

Everyone was scared, it had been clearly printed on all of their faces. Only fourteen had remained, and no one was saying a word to each other in consolidation. They didn't give each other the same jeering smiles, or the joking insults of failure. No one spoke as they filed towards their alseides units. 

They all suffered the same exhaustion of fighting in Freid, and they were out to fight again. It was madness, but they adored Dilandau so they couldn't question him, not without rousing his rage and desperation for success. 

Gatti had tried, receiving a bitter punishment for his words. 

They feared every battle after Miguel’s loss, they feared Dilandau’s need for revenge. 

They still followed him, and they would forever do so if he asked them. They would lay down their lives at his request. They would pile their bodies and make a throne in his honor if he asked. 

Gatti’s heart could be felt against his skin, it pressed against his chest and he was sure the uniform top pulsed with it’s heavy beat. He was sick with the images of the dead soldiers at his feet. He had to repeat that he did this for his country, and for the love of his commander. He tightened his eyes to push back the tears that were ready to break through. He couldn't break now, it was almost over, they were almost done.

It had to be. This had to end soon, they were tired, they wanted to go home and return to their families, they wanted to see the glory they were promised.

This had been the first mission in a long time that they were fighting as a whole. Dilandau needed all of them, to ensure the death or capture of the king of Fanelia and the Escaflowne. If that woman was there, her death was the bonus goal. This time, fourteen deep blue guymelefs undocked from the Vione at Dilandau’s command. Like a flock of starving birds they headed towards the east, following the Crusade’s escape route. 

The silence between them was required, they all had to prepare for death. Miguel’s death had solidified that they were in fact, not immortal. They were not a picture of Zaibach perfection, or as elite as they had been built up to be. 

Dilandau was first to speak when they landed. They had not questioned the giant ship that had been mentioned or seen escape into the clouds. They had to focus on the ever elusive Escaflowne, they had to destroy it, they had to do it for their fallen comrade. 

Gatti’s fingers shook, he was losing his nerve. His vision blurred from the outpouring of sweat that had drained into his eyes. The Escaflowne seemed to glow with a darkness that he’d never want to imagine. “Something’s wrong,” he found himself whispering. 

The escaflowne cut through three before he had even blinked. There was no mercy anymore, and Gatti heard a scream. “Guimel” he whispered, his voice was already hollow. 

Gone. 

He and Viole rushed to each side of the Escaflowne, and it turned around with barely an awkward step like it had months before. 

He heard the guttural yell of Viole as the Escaflowne’s sword cut through the Alseides’ arm and then through the main chamber.

Gone. 

 They were going to die, and he was next. He attacked from up high, his heart’s hammering came to a stop the millisecond when the arm of the Escaflowne blocked him. 

That next second seemed like it had been an eternity. In his peripheral he saw the red guymelef stand solid much too far away to save him now. ‘Lord Dilandau’, he wanted to cry out. The Escaflowne’s sword swung upwards and he followed it with his eyes. “Lord Dilandau,” he whispered. “I guess dying with you isn’t the worst way to go.” 

The blade came down and the moment he heard it touch the metal above him, he knew he couldn't dodge, he couldn't be saved. He was one of the best of his team and here he was, dying before he could protect anyone. Before he could protect Dilandau. 

“Gatti!” He didn't know who called out his name, but maybe, just maybe it was Dilandau. And in that last, tiny bit of a second he was proud, his heart blooming with adoration and affection as his raw reaction to incoming death made him scream out. 

Thankfully, it only hurt for a second.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!


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